The sun shined brightly through my window on the hot summer morning. Waking up in my rosy pink bed and fuschia pink-colored room, I felt so many emotions. My six-year-old body shook with excitement yet nervous, for I had surgery that particular day for a hernia.

When I first found out about having a hernia, my dad helped me take a bath when we realized that there lived a squishy bump on the lower part of my abdomen. It was a lonely hill on the vast plain of my lower abdomen We went to the doctor to see why I had the odd bump. “Your daughter has a hernia,” the doctor told my mom, “and she will have to have surgery to remove the hernia.” Confused from the information, I didn’t understand what the doctor told me.

Finally, the day came. My mom yelled, “Get up, Ashlee. It’s time to get ready.” I rolled out of my bed and put my feet on the fuzzy fern green carpet. I hustled to dress myself in soft, baggy clothes, knowing I would have to change at the hospital. Leaping in the car, we went to the hospital; however, my sister didn't get the come with us. She stayed with my Aunt Robin and my cousin Mikayla.

When we walked in the hospital, I rushed to change into this itchy, rugged gown. I felt jittery, hearing all the noises of the machines around me going “ beep, beep, beep” constantly.  My fingers and hand began to shake, yet I jumped for excitement to be able to pick out a toy from their toy chest. In the toy chest, I picked out a seafoam green and watermelon pink flower pillow hidden under a wooden train. In love with the pillow, I held it while I waited to undergo surgery.

Across the room from me, an elderly man also awaited surgery. ‘I wonder what surgery he is getting.’ I watched a nurse push a needle into his arm. Thinking about shots, I burst into nervousness and tears. My sister never liked needles which made me never good with needles too. My mom calmed me down stating, “They won’t do that to you since you’re very young compared to that old man.” Greatly, I didn’t have to receive the shot.

Finally, my time came to have my hernia removed. ‘I have to put on my big girl pants.’ Hustling out of the room, the nurses wheeled me to a room far in the back. They put toasty, velvety warm blankets on me like the sun shining on me that morning through my window. I wanted to ask a question to the nurses before the surgery happened, but before I knew it, the medication knocked me out.

Later on I awoke to a dry, medicinal taste in my mouth. “Could you get me a glass of water to wash away the taste?” I asked the nurse. When the nurse sprinted back, she brought me ice chips. My fingernails dug into my hand. My fingernails dug into my hand because I wanted a glass of water not ice chips, but I knew it wasn’t her fault. However, the nurses’ personalities continued to be a cruel kindness towards me. The nurse also tried to bring me some pudding. I answered, “No, thank you. No, thank you.”

After a while of waiting, the nurse snuck me back to my family. I stayed in that room for a good six years,  waiting for the time to leave. I took two naps during this time. When I took one nap,  I accidentally lay on my hand where they put the iv in. When I woke up, my hand killed me even more than where I had surgery. I just wanted to get out of the hospital and sprint to my own warm bed in my house.

Finally, I left the hospital  in a wheelchair with my family. They waddled me out to the car that my dad pulled up for me. “Thank you for everything!” I told the nurse who wheeled me out. With a smile, I went home from what seemed like too long of a trip. 

When I arrived home, I shuffled like my grandpa walking to my sister and cousins. They made me a get better card that had miniature milk chocolate hearts in it. The candy and card, in fact, made me smile from all the events I experienced. They then left, and I limped on to the couch all by myself. I heard them playing outside in the pool and on the navy blue swing set. I just knew I had to go swing on the swing set and make this day even better. I asked my mom, “Can I go outside and swing on the play set?” Shocked from my question, she, of course, had to say yes since the doctor told her, “Let her do whatever she wants, except pick up heavy objects.”
I walked slowing out to the navy blue and rusted swing set. I sat down and started swinging feeling carefree as I sword threw the crisp air.